Wind-wheel.



1 PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908. MODUFFEE BRADFORD.

WIND WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19. 3.907. v

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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' PATENTED JUNE 23,1908. MODUPFEE BRADFORD.

WIND WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1907.1

.2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NBRRIS PETA-Rs cu, WASHINGTON, n. c

MCDUFFEE BRADFORD, OF NOOONA, TEXAS.

WIND-WHEE L.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. June 23, 1908.

Application filed July 19, 1907. Serial No. 384,600.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MCDUFFEE BRADFORD, citizen of the United States,residing at Nocona, in the county of Montague and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements in VVindWVheels, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inthe construction of wind wheels and aims to provide a novel wheel whichis so designed as to rotate at a uniform speed irrespective of the forceor velocity of the wind.

The invention further contemplates novel means for mounting the tailupon the wheel carrying frame and controlling, the movements of the tailfor throwing the wheel into and out of operation.

To this end the invention resides principally in a wind wheel comprisinga frame having the blades loosely mounted thereon and held in anoperative position by yielding means whereby the inclination of theblades is automatically regulated according to the velocity of the Wind.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire aknowl.

edge of the details of construction and the means for effecting theresult, reference is to be had to the following description andaccompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of awind whee embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewthrough the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the wheel detached. Fig. 4 isa horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a planview showing the brackets limiting the swinging movement of the tail.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views ofthe drawings by the samereference characters.

Referring to the drawin s the numeral 1 designates a standard whic maybe of any approved construction'and carries the spaced bearing plates 2.Loosely mounted upon the bearing plates 2 is the wheel carrying framewhich is in the nature of a cylinder 3 passing loosely through thebearing plates and provided at its upper end with the forked portlon 4.The Wheel shaft 5 is journaled within the two arms of the fork 4, oneend'of the shaft projecting beyond the fork and having the wheel rigidlyconnected thereto. The frame of the wheel comprises essentially a hub 6and an outer rim 7 connected by the spoke members 8 which are arrangedin pairs. each pair being shown as formed by doubling a strip of sheetmaterial upon itself. Radial rods QeXtend from the hub 6 to the rim 7and have the blades 10 pivotally mounted thereon. It will be observedthat a ring 11 loosely engages the inner ends of the blades 10, the,said ring being slightly spaced from the hub 6 and being supported inposition by cross bars 12 connecting the various pairs of spokes 8. Theblades 10 are normally held in an operative position by yielding meanssuch as the springs 13 and it will be readily apparent that with thisconstruction the inclination of the blades depends upon the velocity ofthe wind and the lades will automatically adjust themselves to cause thewheel to turn at a uniform velocity. Clips 14 are applied to the rim 7,each of the clips being provided with a pair of inwardly projecting arms15 and 16 which are offset with respect to each other, the arm 15serving as a stop for limiting the movement of the corresponding blade10 inone direction while the arm 16 has the spring '13 connectedthereto. Motion is transmitted from the wheel shaft 5 to a verticalshaft 17 journaled within the cylinder 3 by means of the beveled gearing18.

The tail 19 is of the conventional construction and is hinged to thewheel carrying frame so as to swing between the brackets 20 and 21. Eachof'these brackets is in the nature of a frame and the bracket 20 isprovided at its outer portion with a projection '22 having one end of aspring 23 connected thereto, the opposite end of the said springengaging the tail and normally holding the same against the bracket 20.When in this position the tail serves to hold the wheel in an operativeposition. A cord 24 is utilized for moving the tail 19 against thebracket 21 where it serves to maintain the wheel in an inoperativeposition. This cord 24 passes through a guide member 25 carried by anarm 26' projecting from the wheel carrying frame and then extendsthrough an opening in the cylinder 3 whereby when tension is eX- ertedupon the lower end of the cord the tail is moved against the action ofthe spring 23 andheld against the bracket 21. In this connection it isdesired to state that any desired form of roller or antifrictionbearings may be utilized in connection with the various moving parts ofthe device. This wheel as has been previously mentioned will alwaysrotate at a uniform speed owing to the fact that as the wind becomesstronger the blades 10 are swung outwardly against the action of thesprings 13 and do not utilize the full power thereof.

Having thus-described the invention, what I is claimed as new is:

1. Awind wheel'comprising a frame,blades pivotally mounted upon theframe, a pair of projections upon the frame for each of the blades, theprojections of each pair being positioned oppositely, one of theprojections serving as a stop for the blade, and a spring connecting theblade to the opposite projection.

2. Awind wheel comprising a frame,blades pivotally mounted upon theframe, clips applied to the frame and formed with projections, one ofthe projections serving as a stop for the corresponding blade, and aspring connecting the blade to the opposite projection.

3. Awind wheel comprising a frame,blades pivotally mounted upon theframe, clips applied to the frame, each of the clips carrying a air ofarms ofiset with respect to each ot ier, one of the arms constituting astop for the corresponding blade, and a spring connecting the blade withthe opposite arm.

4. In a wind wheel, the combination of a hub, an outer rim, connectingmeans between the hub and outer rim, rods connecting the rim and hub,blades pivotally mounted upon the rods, clips applied to the rim, eachof the clips'carrying a pair of inwardly extending projections offsetwith respect to each other, one ofthe projections constituting a stopfor the corresponding blade, and a spring connecting the blade with theopposite projection.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MODUFFEE BRADFORD. [1 s] Witnesses:

E. W. MINOR, HUGH C. YANTIS.

